Closer than you think Farther than you'd hope
by TheRumicWorld
Summary: ONE SHOT: Ryoga and Ukyo scheme together yet again, but when Ukyo unintentionally hurts Ryoga's feelings and tries to apologize, she ends up doing even "worse". Ryoga X Ukyo (Of course)


"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" A wondering Ryoga would repeat aloud as he walked the streets to another unspecified and most likely undesired location.

A rather typical afternoon for him. Ryoga would stop, turning his head towards a nearby phone pole. He took hold of the pole and began slamming his head against it repeatedly whilst mumbling to himself.

"Why can't I just tell her how I feel!? At this rate... At this rate...!" He would then thrust his fist into the pole, shattering it entirely. "At this rate, she'll fall in love with Ranma...!" He stated, followed by a quiet sigh.

Ryoga lowered his head in sorrow before continuing to walk on.

Just then, he was stopped. Interrupted by some old lady he's never seen before, sitting behind a small table with playing cards at each corner.

"Hey, boy. You must be another wondering troubled romantic." She stated.

"H-Huh? How could you tell?!" Ryoga asked.

". . ." The woman shared a deadpan glare at Ryoga. "Call it a woman's intuition... Look, if you want, I could help you find your true love." She replied, as a small grin would form along her face.

"My true love? Yeah? Thanks, but no thanks. I know who my true love is! What I need is the confidence to tell her..." Ryoga said, his tone lowering as he grew angry with his own cowardness.

"Oh really? Have you ever thought that maybe your 'true love' ISN'T your 'true love'?" The lady retorted.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Ryoga asked, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

"I've come across many like you. You're so sure that you're in love, that you don't realize you may be chasing the wrong one. Perhaps you're not just some coward, perhaps the world is keeping you from making a mistake, perhaps you're not destined to be with who you desire, perhaps—" Just as she was speaking, Ryoga quickly interrupted by slamming his hands down on her table, followed by a rather angry reply.

"You're saying I'm wrong about my love?! There's no way! I know only a handful of females, and none of them— No one, can make me feel the way Akane feels! Try pitching your slogan to some other unlucky lover." Ryoga closed his statement with a wave before he attempted to move on.

"Hehehe, come now, boy. You're already here, why not try it? Maybe you're right. I very well could be wrong." The lady would say as she began shuffling a deck of cards.

Ryoga let aloud another sigh, this one being rather irritated. "Fine, I'll try it. But I'm telling you, Akane is the only girl for me. I know it!" Ryoga walked back to the woman's table, folding his arms awaiting her next words. "Oh, great! You'll do it! That'll be 500 yen." She smiled, holding her hand out.

"500!? Geez, I should've known this was just a scam." Ryoga reached into his pockets and handed the woman 500 yen.

"Thank you! Now, hold out your palm." She said.

Ryoga did so, slowly getting more interested in the woman's answer then he realized. The lady traced her index finger along Ryoga's palm, silence was all that filled the area. After a few seconds, the lady stopped and took a deep breath.

"I see..." She said.

"W-What? What do you see? Are I and Akane meant to be?!" Ryoga asked eagerly.

"I couldn't get a clear reading, but you can try again for 1000 yen." She replied.

"What?! But it was just 500! Rgh, fine!" Ryoga slammed 1000 yen atop her table before holding his palm out to her again. The lady repeated her previous actions.

"Hehe! Well would you look at that, I'm right again." She stated nonchalantly.

"You mean... Akane isn't the— Oh what do you know! You don't know anything about us." Ryoga replied. "Would you like to know who your true soulmate is?" She asked.

"S-Sure, humor me!" Ryoga stated, seeming rather nervous. "That'll be 3000 yen!" The woman replied with a smile on her face.

"Ahh! Save your breath, lady! I'm done with this little scam. I'm outta here." Ryoga lifted his belongings and headed in the opposite direction of where he originally intended to go.

"Oh, young love." The woman said, giggling innocently to herself.

Sometime later, Ryoga luckily winded up at furinkan high school.

"I-I made it here again?! This all thanks to you, Akane! Your love lead me here!" Ryoga thought aloud to himself. Ryoga sat underneath a nearby tree and awaited the school to end so that he could see Akane. As he was waiting, he unintentionally fell asleep. After a couple of hours have passed, suddenly, someone had approached Ryoga.

"Ryoga? What're you doing here?" It was Ukyo Kuonji.

She crouched down to the sleeping Ryoga and knocked on his head.

"Hey, hey jackass. Wake up." It took a couple more hits on the head before he'd actually wake up.

"H-Huh? Wha—!" Ryoga quickly stood tall, looking around. "How long was I out!?" He nervously asked. Ukyo stood herself back up soon after him.

"Hell if I know. What're you doing here anyways?" She asked.

"I was waiting for school to let out, I wanted to see Akane."

Ukyo gave Ryoga a deadpan glare before replying.

"Uhh, there is no school today, Ryoga." She replied.

"Are you serious —!? Agh, c'mon!" He sighed aloud. "Then why are you here?" Ryoga proceeded to ask.

"I was heading out to get some new ingredients for a special okonomiyaki I planned to make for Ranma honey. That's when I noticed you here passed out." She retorted.

"Oh, alright. Well, I should get going." He said before beginning to walk off, however, he was stopped by Ryoga tugging on the back of his shirt. "

No need to be hasty, come help me with my shopping." She said with a innocent smile on her face.

"No thanks, I've got other things to do." Ryoga replied. Her innocent smile turned into an angry glare.

"Like what? Getting lost? That's what I get for asking nicely." She decided to just drag him along anyway, making it Ryoga's job to carry everything that was bought. A couple hours have passed until the two made it back to Ukyo's shop.

"I say that was a successful shopping trip." Ukyo stated, opening the door for Ryoga to enter.

"I didn't even want to go." Ryoga replied with an annoyed tone.

"Oh stop complaining." Ukyo went ahead and began preparations for her special okonomiyaki. Ryoga sat at one of the stools and sighed.

"Ukyo. You ever stop and think that maybe Ranma... Isn't the one for you?" Ryoga asked.

"What do you mean?" She replied, seeming really confusing by his question.

"I mean, what if the two of you aren't really— Uh— together, because the world doesn't want you to be. What if the guy you really meant to be with wasn't him all along!" Ryoga announced. Ukyo stared at Ryoga nervously before replying.

"W-Well that can't be true, I know Ranma honey is the man for me." Ukyo replied.

"But he might not me. What if...! What if the man that was meant for you, was closer than you'd think, and you just never realized?" Ryoga continued to ask.

Ukyo was getting more confused by the second. She wondered where all this was coming from, and why Ryoga was so sure she shouldn't be with Ranma.

"You're wrong, Ryoga! And let's leave it at that." Ukyo remarked confidently. Ryoga let out a rather relieved sigh, as if that was the exact answer he wanted.

"That's what I said..." Ryoga said, lowering his head sorrowfully yet again.

"What's making you say all this anyways?" Ukyo asked.

"Some crazy lady said Akane and I aren't meant to be... That the reason I can't confess, is because I shouldn't. Like some sort of sign." He let aloud a saddened sigh. Ukyo herself could understand, and actually think it's definitely possible, but she didn't want to make Ryoga mood any worse.

"Listen, sugar. You love Akane, right? Well, just let fate answer all your questions. If you love her, never give up, and see where your love takes you." Ukyo replied.

"Maybe you're right..." Ryoga continued to stare down, his mind continued drifting to the thought that him and Akane will never happen. But if not her, then who? There's no one that could make him feel the way Akane does. There's no woman out there that understands him and treats him with kindness, so he thinks.

"Instead of sitting there sulking, you could help me. You have cooked some good okonomiyaki before." Ukyo stated.

"Yeah yeah, sure." Ryoga got up and gave Ukyo a hand with her special dish. The two worked on this single piece of food for roughly 3 hours before Ukyo finally decided it was perfect. As the time passed, both Ukyo and Ryoga grew tired.

"I'll walk you home, consider it my payment for helping me out tonight." Ukyo smiled kindly towards Ryoga. "That's it?! I could walk home myse— Uh, right. Thanks, Ukyo." Ryoga replied, laughing at his own mishap. Ukyo kept true to her word, and walked Ryoga to his destination.

"Well, I'll see you around sugar." Ukyo waved as she headed off.

"See you." Ryoga replied before heading into his house. Immediately after walking in, he collapsed onto the floor and began thinking about what that lady said.

"Is it true... Am I not meant for Akane?" He mumbled to himself. Ryoga closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep so that he wouldn't have to think about it.

The next morning, he was awoken by a loud constant knock on his door.

"Alright, alright! Calm down, I'm coming..." A tired Ryoga walked to his door and opened it, surprised to see who it was.

"Hey, sugar. You were still asleep?" Ukyo asked calmly.

"Huh? What're you doing here?" Ryoga asked with slight irritation in his voice.

"I'm going to give the okonomiyaki we made to Ranma. I figured I could bring you along so that you could keep Akane busy." Ukyo replied.

"Oh, uh, well... That sounds—" Ryoga was interrupted by a hasty Ukyo.

"Like a great idea? Yeah. I know. Now wash up and come on, we don't have all day!" Ryoga did as advised and quickly freshened up before heading out with Ukyo. It didn't take long before they made their way to the tendo dojo.

"Ranma honey!" Ukyo alerted.

"Oh hey, it's Ukyo." Ranma started, walking towards her to greet her.

"What's up Ukyo?". He asked.

"I made you a special lunch with this new recipe! I figured we could eat lunch together." She replied with a big smile along her face, holding the lunch she brought over to her chest.

"Oh, okay. Sounds fine to me." Ranma said. Akane then approached the two from behind.

"Hey Ukyo. What brings you here?" Akane asked suspiciously.

"I made a special lunch for me and Ranma honey." Ukyo stated, nudging her arm close to Ranma. Just then, Ryoga had finally came running up to the three.

"Geez Ukyo, you could've waited!" Ryoga announced angrily.

"You were walking too slow, that's not my fault! Oh! That reminds me, Akane, Ryoga made this lunch for the two of you. Now it can be like a double date~!" Ukyo handed Akane the second bag and pushed Ryoga alongside her. Ranma simply placed his hands behind his head, just as nonchalant as ever. Akane on the other hand, began glaring at Ukyo, and vice versa, all while Ryoga blushed innocently. The 4 took their seats at the table in the tendo dojo, Ukyo next to Ranma, and Akane next to Ryoga. Ryogas blush didn't bother to fade away.

"Wow! This is really good!" Ranma shouted eagerly.

"There's more where that came from, honey." Akane couldn't help but think into the situation.

"Why is she all over Ranma again?! I thought her and Ryoga were in a relationship! Unless... They broke up?! No way. They came here together... Kinda... I just don't get it." She thought to herself before looking over to an embarrassed and bashful Ryoga.

"Look at him, he's completely torn apart by this. Poor Ryoga, he's practically being played...!" She continued to remark in her thoughts. "Ukyo! I won't go along with this! How could you be sitting there feeding Ranma when your boyfriends right here! That's not very ladylike, you know!" Akane announced angrily. Ukyo and Ryoga both jumped up in confusion.

"Boyfriend?!" The two shouted.

"Oh don't play dumb. When we were in the tunnel of lost love, you were totally lecturing Ryoga for giving me too much attention. Yet here you are, all over Ranma!" Akane replied.

"Oh yeah, that's right! I almost forgot you two were dating. Don't worry Ryoga, I won't steal your girlfriend." Ranma stated kindly.

"W-What!? No! Y-You have the wrong idea!" Ukyo quickly muttered out.

"Yeah! It's not like that, I swear!" Ryoga shouted. "You don't have to play innocent, Ryoga. Ukyo, if you're trying to get back at Ryoga, you don't have to use Ranma for it. I thought the two of you made up that day anyway." Akane stated.

"Listen here, Missy! You've got it all wrong! Me and Ryoga are /not/ dating! I wouldn't lower myself to some cowardly, brain dead, helpless jackass!" Ukyo angrily replied without thought.

"U-Ukyo..." Akane silently stated.

"Harsh..." Ranma said to himself. Ryoga then stood back on his feet, and without another word, took his leave.

"W-Wait, Ryoga!" Ukyo said, realizing she may have went overboard. Akane had gotten herself up and chased after Ryoga.

"Ryoga!" She called out. Ryoga stopped after hearing her voice.

"You don't have to say anything Akane, I'll be fine." Ryoga muttered out.

"Are you sure? I didn't think she'd get so upset about it... Look, Ryoga. You're a really sweet and down to earth guy. Not to mention you're strong, and reliable, and pretty funny too." Akane took hold of Ryoga's hand. "All I'm trying to say, is that you're amazing, and any girl would be lucky to have you. So don't get upset, okay?" Ryoga was blushing uncontrollably, now was the perfect time to tell her how he felt. If he could just tell her, everything would be okay. But he couldn't. Why couldn't he? Maybe Ukyo was right. He's helpless, cowardly, and just an idiot.

"A-Akane... Oh Akane... T-Thank...you...!" Was all he could actually manage out. Ryoga wanted to cherish this moment for as long as possible, but he couldn't. As he felt the tears well up in his eyes, he took his leave immediately. He didn't want Akane to think of him as any less of a man. As Akane watched Ryoga run, Ranma and Ukyo approached close by.

"Way to pour your heart out to the guy." Ranma sarcastically remarked.

"It wasn't like that, yeesh! Ryoga is just always teased and mocked by you two! It wouldn't kill him to hear something nice for once. He has a hard enough time as it is." Akane replied.

"Oh, he'll be fine. You girls don't know Ryoga like I do." Ranma stated confidently.

"I didn't mean it, you know. It just kinda came out." Ukyo alerted.

"You should try telling Ryoga that." Akane replied.

"If you two aren't dating, then what were you and Ryoga so secrety about?" Ranma asked.

"Oh, look at the time! I need to go talk to Ryoga anyway, bye!" Ukyo nervously ran off, making sure to dodge the question entirely. As she was heading back home, she stopped by Ryoga house to apologize. She knocked on his door multiple times, to no answer.

"I guess this means he's lost." Ukyo sat down at his doorstep and waited to see if he would end up making his way back here on his own. As she waited, she accidentily fell asleep.

The next morning, a mysterious figure stood over top of her and nudged her shoulder multiple times in order to wake up her up.

"Hey, young lady, wake up, will you?" Ukyo had began to wake, noticing the random middle aged female before her.

"Who're you?" Ukyo asked immediately.

"Funny, I was about to ask you the same question. And since this is my house, I feel I should get an answer first, don't you think?" The woman replied innocently, giggling to herself.

"This is your home?! M-My apologies...! Wait, you wouldn't happen to be related to Ryoga, would you?" Ukyo questioned.

"I would surely think so. I'm his mother." The woman replied with a smile along her face.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Hibiki, my names Ukyo. I'm—" Before Ukyo could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Ryoga's mom.

"Dear me! Ryoga has gone and gotten himself a fiance, hasn't he! A very cute one at that!" She was hasty to get out.

"Finance?! No no no, I—!" Ryoga's mom quickly interrupted her again.

"I was starting to worry about him. Tell me, how is he doing?" She asked.

"Oh, well he's doing fine, I guess. I was just looking for him. I think I may have accidentally hurt his feelings..." Ukyo replied.

"Oh dear. Well, all good relationships have arguments, right? I know my little Ryoga may be a lot to handle, but do be careful with him. He's a sensitive boy." Ukyo looked down, thinking if her own harshness towards him. Normally she wouldn't think twice about it, Ryoga is just Ryoga to her, but in the face oh his mother, she felt as if she may have been too harsh on him after all. The two continued to have a little girl on girl chat. They got along, surly, and Ukyo even stayed to make her some okonomiyaki. Later that night, when she was ready to take her leave, Ukyo was given a nice bracelet by Ryogas mother.

"Here you are. This bracelet was passed on from girl to girl in my family. And now I get a daughter in law to give it to! Isn't this great!" She announced ecstatically.

"T-Thank you, Mrs. Hibiki." She didn't have the heart to tell the nice lady that she had no intentions of marrying her son. Ukyo took her leave and continued her search for Ryoga. Eventually, she did manage to find him. She approached him steadily and let aloud a saddened sigh.

"Look Ryoga. I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean it you know. I just wanted Akane to get off my back..." Ukyo said, hoping he'd forgive her.

"You're apologizing? Well that's new. You didn't have to, not like I care what you think of me anyways." Ryoga casually replied.

"W-What?! Don't try and act tough now! I saw you cry when you were running away!" Ukyo angrily responded. "Well you definitely upset me, that's for sure. But I expect it from you, just like Ranma. I got over it. I was sad because... After all those nice things Akane said about me, I still couldn't just tell her how I felt...!" Ryoga followed his sentence with a sigh. "Besides, you were right anyway. I am a helpless cowardly jack ass." He stated. Ukyo thought to herself.

"I really said all that? Yeesh..." She then stood herself in front of Ryoga. She glared at him, directly from eye to eye. She gave his face a rather friendly slap. "What the hell was that for!" Ryoga irritatedly asked.

"You're definitely hopeless. But you're still a really great guy, Ryoga. I just... You're very..." Ukyo couldn't get the proper words to escape her lips, even she didn't know what she was really trying to say. Suddenly, she had found herself falling forward as if nudged by a mysterious entity, falling into the arms of Ryoga. When she looked up, all she could see was the sorrow in Ryoga's eyes. She knew what it was like to love someone who doesn't love you back, but even she didn't think a strong guy like Ryoga could look so sad. Without another thought, Ukyo planted her lips firmly atop Ryoga's. Was this a gesture of pity? Ryoga's eyes widened entirely. More than shocked by what just happened. After coming back to her senses, Ukyo quickly pushed herself away from Ryoga. "I— I didn't mean to—!" Was all Ukyo could manage to get out."Ukyo I... I had no ide—" Before Ryoga could finish his sentence, Ukyo took hold of her handy oversized spatula and swung it directly act Ryoga, knocking him a few miles into the air. She looked down, wondering what could've possibly possessed her to do such a thing. Ryoga had landed perfectly at his house. Lucky enough for him, he made it their just before his mother went to get some more groceries she had forgotten before she arrived.

"Huh? Oh Ryoga, you're here!" His mother shouted eagerly to see her son.

"Hey, mom. You made it back!" Said Ryoga.

"Yup, I got lost along the way... But I forgot some lettuce, so I'm heading back out." She replied.

"Oh, okay. Be careful." Ryoga replied.

"Of course I will. Oh! And your fiance stopped by, I hope you two work everything out." She alerted.

"H-Huh? My fiancee?" Ryoga asked curiously.

"Yeah, that miss Ukyo. She's a very nice young lady, and pretty too! I'm proud of you, Ryoga! Well, take care son." She said before taking her leave into the opposite direction of the food market.

"Fiancee? U-Ukyo...?!" Ryoga remembered the words of the mysterious fortune teller.

"I-Is this world trying to tell me that Ukyo is...!" Before Ryoga could finish his thought, he was interrupted by another passerby.

"Well if it isn't the helpless romantic." The woman stated. It turned out to be the exact lady that told Ryoga his fortune.

"Hey, it's you! W-Who was the girl I'm destined to be with! Tell me already!" Ryoga immediately let out. "Oh yeah, what was her name again? Beats me, maybe 5,000 yen could help me remember." She replied innocently.

"5,000!? I only have 1,000 yen on me..." Ryoga replied.

"That can help too!" The lady said.

"What're you, some kind of con artist?" Ryoga asked.

"Do you wanna know or not?" The woman remarked.

"Alright, alright… here." Ryoga then handed her 1,000 yen. The lady took it happily and thought to herself for a moment.

"If I remember correctly, she had long brown hair, and a large cooking utensil." She noted. Ryoga knew exactly who it was. That description was basically screaming Ukyo. Ryoga couldn't believe the series of events. Not only did all the signs point to Ukyo being his true love, but she even kissed him out of the blue. Ryoga is prone to easily returning the love of anyone willing to love him, but no matter what happens, he really loves Akane. Ryoga didn't know what would happen next time he came across Ukyo. He's never had to reject someone before, it normally is always him who's turned down. So Ryoga went ahead and did what he does best, walk around aimlessly. As he wandered, all he could think about was the time he's spent with Ukyo in the past. Their first encounter, the time they won the hot springs race, their visit to the unknown island where he saved her life, and their journey in the tunnel of love. It was during these times that the two were most notably together, even if she was mean to him on these occasions. Then, as if by some twisted fate, Ryoga had bumped into Ukyo.

"Oh great…!" Ukyo thought to herself. Without another word from Ryoga, he suddenly took hold of Ukyo's hands and shared a hopeless gaze into her eyes.

"U-Uh Ryoga!" Ukyo nervously muttered.

"Ukyo, I'm sorry. Despite all that happened, I can't get Akane off my mind. She's all I've ever wanted…" Was Ryoga really rejecting Ukyo? Ukyo quickly snatched her hands away from Ryoga.

"What do I care!" She angrily replied. Ryoga snatched her hands back into his own.

"Let me finish! Even though I love Akane, I feel that I'm meant to be with...with... I mean that…!" Ryoga was tongue tied yet again. It seems no matter who he's confessing to, he can't get the words out his mouth. Ryoga's entire face had turned red.

"Easy now, loverboy. Look, I don't know what came over me,but you don't have to think anything about it… We can stay friends, Ryoga." Ukyo stated kindly.

"No!" Ryoga hastily interrupted.

"It's not just the kiss, Ukyo, I….I want to give it— give you a try. I want to be with you, Ukyo!" And for the first time, despite the circumstances, Ryoga managed to confess to someone. Ukyo herself was even shocked. Only silence filled the air, Ryoga had begun sweating nervously awaiting her response. Ukyo took her hands away just before smacking Ryoga's face playfully, yet still painfully.

"W-What was THAT for?!" Ukyo took grasp of Ryoga's face before pulling him towards her in a warm embrace, planting yet another kiss upon his lips. She'd never admit it, but she couldn't wait to do it again. After she broke the kiss, she showed Ryoga the bracelet his mother gave to her.

"We're engaged anyway, so why not make the best of it?" She stated with as a soft smile took shape upon her face.

 **The End.**

Authors Note: This is my first fanfiction, which is probably obvious. So with this one, I tried my best to keep the characters as true to themselves as portrayed in the anime/manga, however, I did have to stretch a few things so the ending could properly happen. Perhaps I stretched too much, but hopefully it was still bearable. Please tell me what you think.


End file.
